After Geelong had won the previous three encounters against Collingwood, the Pies turned the tables on the Cats to record their seventh consecutive win in front of 84,401 fans.
But despite the impressive performance, O’Brien downplayed the significance of the result and what bearing it will have come September.
“We will treat it like any other game,” O’Brien told afl.com.au about a possible rematch during the finals series.
“Both teams will be in the finals, we know that but we will worry about that when the time comes.”
The Pies again set the tone early with their ferocity at the contest, with the contested ball count again reading in their favour 144-102, while they dominated the inside 50 count 66 to the Cats 37.
During their sensational run of form, the Pies have consistently accumulated similar stats and O’Brien believes it is testament to the confidence the side has in the structure laid down by coach Mick Malthouse.
“It was a very good win… it doesn’t matter who is wearing that opposition jumper it’s about what we do and how we play to our structures,” he said.
“Geelong are an exceptional team, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. We just had to keep grinding and having faith in our structures and in the end we prevailed.”
The 23-year old continued his All-Australian form, keeping red-hot Cat Steve Johnson to 17 possessions and just two goals while still providing his trademark drive and dash from defence.
“As backs we are at the mercy of how much pressure there is up the ground so our forwards and our midfielders are structuring up right and it gives us backs the best opportunity to win our contests,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien admitted the side learnt valuable lessons from their last match against the Cats in round nine, where Geelong took control with a five goal to two third term to eventually run out six-goal winners.
When the Cats opened up a 12-point lead midway through the third quarter, O’Brien knew his teammates would step up.
“Last time we played them the result went the other way and it was the same. We were neck and neck and they broke away and got over the line,” he said.
“So it was very pleasing we could go that extra gear and come away with the win.”
